Dr. Shari Olson

Shari L. Olson was appointed president of South Mountain Community College (SMCC) in 2011. In this role, she is responsible for the overall leadership of the college — which serves more than 6,000 students each year, and employs approximately 215 full-time and 495 part-time employees.

Dr. Olson has more than 35 years of community college administrative and teaching experience. Throughout her career, she has remained committed to strengths-based leadership and developing the best in her students and colleagues. Prior to her appointment as president, she served in administrative roles in Minnesota, including interim president at Anoka Technical College; system director of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities; and Assistant Professor of Graduate Education at Bemidji State University. From 1995-2007, she held several outreach, planning, administrative services and technology positions as vice president, dean and director at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls, MN. She also served as president of Eastern Wyoming College and director and faculty member in early childhood education at United Tribes Technical College.